Foundation for earthquakeproof buildings



Dec. 6, 1927.

Filed. Sept. 9. 1926 l structure and the said foundation possess-'- iadapted lateral vibrations caused through earth-.

Patented Dec. 6, 927.

a 1,651,411 EL'N Q F C AMELIA ,AN1\ IE roman;orlnanoasrnag'E L D;

f rounna'rroivfr'oa v unar :atrial;r1151@001 nornnrives.

Application filed September a, 1926. seria -nu 134,583.

/ This invention has relation to the construe tion of foundationsofdwelli'n'gs and other buildingsand has in" contemplation moreespecially means to render the superstructures built orerected thereonimmune from dam age or "destruction by earthquake; shocks.

The purposeof my's aid invention and its primary object is theproductionof aseparate and detached foundation and a movable connectionbetweenthe base of the super ing :advantagesin point of effi ciency anddurability in that'the said superstru'cture'is permittedmovementandoscillation in all directions bymeansof steel balls located" andings. v

Another object. of my invention .is to provide spiral, leaf orothersprings locatedsin the space between-the upper surface; of. thefoundation slabr'and. the. underside of the superstructure for' thepurpose of absorbing quake shocks. I

A further object of my invention is to pro-.

' 'vide the separate and detachedfoundation with a specially shaped slabor blockof reinforced concrete and the location of thistle tachedfoundation member in a bed of fine sand, ground pumice stone or thelike, that can flow to awcertain extent under the effects of oscillationor upheaval.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, theIIIVGIItIOIIOOIlSlSlZS n the novel construction and combination of partshereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand'specified in the claims hereto appended it being understood thatvarious changes in the form, proportion, sizes and minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the invention may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention,

7 reference is directed to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof and of which: a I

Fig. 1- is a sectional elevation illustrating the general arrangement ofthe foundation for earthquake-proof buildings forming v the subjectmatterof my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a part sectional plan of the same. Referring more particularlyto the several views of the drawings, wherein like numerals of referencedesignate correspond to move within saucer-shaped hous-;

ing parts throughout the several views, the.

superstructure base :1 is constructed of renforced concrete or othersuitable material and'i's shap'edas shown in Figure 1 or havingsubstantially that configuration. Th e lower outer'su rface of thesuperstructure baseli is provided with a multiplicity of' saucer-shapedmembers 2 provided with dove-tailed"or other suitably shaped por:

-tions by means of which. thesaid members 2 are"rigidlyaflixed to thebase 1.

These 'saucer shaped members 2 are adapted to accommodate steel balls 4which are retained in position; by similarly saucer-shaped members 5',located in agialalignment with theCmembers'Q, and whiclrare retained inposltlon'upon the foundation 6 by means of dove-tailed'or'other suitablyshaped stems 7 The foundation 6', upon" which the base 1 carryingthesuperstructure is adapted to restfc'onsists by preference of a solidblock againstthe superstruction base 1. The pur-' pose of these springsis to hold the base 1 a and consequently the superstructurenor-' mally1n the position shown in Figure 1 and to return, the saine always tothis position after any temporary movement of the foundation. a

The fine sand 9, ground pumice stone or other suitable material underthe foundation 6 is intended to flow easily under the efiect ofoscillation or upheaval and to allow a new layer to be formed to supportthe boat whenthe same returns to its initial position. The foundationslab-6 will'be constructed as a girder sufficiently strong to Withstandundermining to at least half its area, in orderthat in case of upheavalit may ride upon the bed of line sand in a similar manner as a shiprides upon the waves, without breaking its back. In case the. foundationsettles unevenly after a disturbance,it

shaped bottom 8 of the said foundation will only be necessary toexcavate some sand to allow it to sink again to a true level.

In constructing the foundation the soil is excavated to an extentsomewhat larger than the proposed buildin contain the concrete s ab 6and sand 9. The

excavated part is lined with a concrete or other suitable material wall12 to form a contillget for the above mentioned fine sand and s a a Thecentral ortion of the superstructure base 1 is closer by means of boards13 or the like located in such manner thatthe upper surface of the sameis substantially level with the upper surface of the said base. Thecavities 14, formed between the outer walls 12 and foundations areclosed through the medium of boards 15, but the same may also be closedby means of thin steel plates or concrete slabs. These boards are notafiixed in any way so as not to interfere with the movements of thefoundations.

The superstructure 1, which is only partially shown in Figure 1, builton foundations such as described hereinbefore and shown in the drawings,may be of wood, corrugated iron, or any other material orconstructiomibut a framed structure of fireproof material is preferred,such as forexample those wherein ferro-concrete slabs are and deepenough to bound together by continuous tie-rods forming a box-likestructure which may be canted over to any angle without displacing anyof its parts. 1 a

Having now particularly described my 1nvention what I claim as new, and,tlesileto secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A foundation, con'iprising an upper block provided with a chamber, alower bloc-k having a projection arranged in the chamber springsinterposed between the projection and the walls of the chamber, andpivot bearings spaced apart and arranged outside the chamber between theupper block and the lower block and permitting the upper block tooscillate in a horizontal plane.

2. A foundation as set forth in claim 1, the said lower bloek having aconvex hottom, and having a bed of granular material arranged under itsbottom;

3; A foundation as set forth in claim 1, the said lower block having aeonvexbottom. and having a bed of granular material arranged under itsbottom, and an outer protecting wall holding the granular materiallaterally in place and extending upwardly past the pivot bearingsandspaced apart from the said upper block;

In witness whereof I aflix no signature.

AMELIA ANNE PORTER.

